U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No. 496,212, filed Aug. 9, 1974 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,283 discloses a hospital bed which utilized two torque tubes pivotally attached to the elevating frame and interconnected to the base frame by lift arms or links. Torque applied by an electric motor rotates a yoke pivotally mounted upon one of the tubes, the yoke then applying a lifting force to the torque tubes through torque drive arms to raise the elevating frame. When raised, a hook system, activated by a control lever can selectively engage the drive arm for the foot section of the bed or the head section. Subsequent reverse drive of the electric motor and resulting lowering of the unhooked section will permit the bed to achieve the Trendelenburg or reverse Trendelenburg positions, the hooked section being held in the elevated position. Thus, the hook, or vertically supporting means depends upon the weight of the bed to hold the appropriate section in the elevated position. As disclosed in the earlier application, the elevated section could be manually raised a limited distance to disengage the activated hook, and the bed could then be manually lowered. Such may be desirable in the event of electric power failure, but it may also be undesirable if the person manually attempting to lower the bed lacks or loses control permitting undesired dropping of the bed and patient. Too, if in the reverse Trendelenburg position, one sitting on the foot of the bed might cantilever the head section upwardly, disengaging the hook, and permit the bed to drop uncontrollably upon lifting his weight from the foot section.